Press Release

OKLAHOMA CITY –The Southern Oklahoma Water Corporation (Corporation) received approval for $8,000,000 in funding Tuesday from the Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB) to improve the Corporation’s water infrastructure.  Construction of upgrades and improvements to the water system will be financed by the Oklahoma American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant program along with $320,000 in local funds.

The Corporation needs additional water capacity to support tourism, and new commercial, retail, and residential development in and around Lake Murray State Park. The existing water treatment plant is located on the waterfront, which would be better utilized as recreational space. The proposed project is to install a new water treatment plant on the western edge of the State Park, relocate a raw water intake to a deeper location, and upgrade the water distribution infrastructure.  

Joe Freeman, chief of the OWRB’s Financial Assistance Division, calculated that the Corporation’s customers will save an estimated $12,093,300 compared to traditional financing.